The Boeing 747-400 is the latest growth variant of the dependable 747-100 aircraft, whose lineage dates back to 09 February 1969. On this date, the first 747-100 took to the skies from Everett in Washington. Even though the aircraft was successful from its onslaught, pressure from the world’s airlines for an improved version needed to be addressed. Boing answered this call with the even larger 747-400. The 747-400 was launched on 22 October 1985 and first flew on 29 April 1988, creating a new era in world travel. With more powerful engines and a two-man crew for addedd efficiency, the 747-400 now meets these requirements by hauling larger passenger loads over greater distances in both safety and comfort.

While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe. Its most distinguishing features versus preceding 747 models are 6-foot (1.8 m) winglets mounted on 6-foot (1.8 m) wing tip extensions, which are found on all 747-400s except for Japanese domestic market versions.

The 747-400 is equipped with a two-crew glass cockpit, which dispenses with the need for a flight engineer, along with more fuel-efficient engines, an optional fuel tank in the horizontal stabilizer, and revised fuselage/wing fairings. The aircraft also features an all-new interior with upgraded in-flight entertainment architecture. As on the 747-300, passenger variants include a stretched upper deck as standard.